Courtship and Correspondence: A Nutcracker Tale
by guppygirl
Summary: Eric is still determined to make Clara his queen, but Grandfather Droselmyer will be one tough nut to crack.
1. Chapter 1

"Clara!" called Grandfather Droselmyer as he entered the foyer. "You have a letter."

"A letter?" Clara was confused – no one had ever written her before. As she took the letter, she glanced at the sender's name, and a jolt of surprise ran through her. "It's from Eric!"

"Humph! Eric!" harrumphed her grandfather. "That boy is far too..."

Clara paid him no mind. Heading to her room, she sat down on the bed and opened the letter. Unfolding it carefully, she began to read.

My dearest Clara,

How have you been? Parthenia has been recovering well. The people have begun to

accept me as their king, and things are rapidly returning to normal. The spells cast up-

on the Mouse King's army have dissipated, and the last of them have returned to their

normal size.

Today, I went back to the gingerbread village we saw before. I was filled with awe at

the sight – rather than each family working on their own house, everyone in the village

was hard at work together, rebuilding one house at a time. Even the children we came

across, Mara and Ethan, were hard at work gathering ingredients and mixing up colossal

vats of gingerbread dough for the walls. I worked among them, helping to chop up logs

and feed the fire – something that once held a very different meaning for me.

The last effects of the Mouse King's reign are quickly fading, but without you here, by

my side, I fear that for me, Parthenia will always be the desolate place it was then, even

now. I miss you with every breath that I take.

Forever yours,

Eric

With a sigh of longing, Clara pressed the letter to her heart. Then she went to her desk and, after very carefully laying the letter down on the side, drew out a pen and a piece of paper and began to write back.

Dearest Eric,

I am glad to hear that you are well. As I read this letter, my heart aches with longing to

be at your side once more. I only wish I could be there to see the repairing of the village,

to work alongside of you. I miss you with every beat of my heart, down to my very soul.

Unfortunately, I lack news of my own to send you. Grandfather Drosselmeier is still the

same as ever, as is Tommy. Aunt Elizabeth is out on her adventures again, and I doubt I

will see her again for a year, though I wish she were here now.

I still wear your locket every day. It is the only way I have to hold on to a piece of my

Nutcracker.

With love,

Clara


	2. Chapter 2

"Tommy," Clara admonished gently, looking into the crestfallen little boy's face, "you know you have to be more careful with your toys. Grandfather can't afford to replace them as quickly as you're breaking them!"

"But they were new!" Tommy wailed.

"I know," Clara said, "but there's nothing to be done. Maybe next year Aunt Elizabeth will replace them for you."

"Or maybe," said an unexpected voice from the doorway, "she'll replace them now."

Clara turned, her expression joyful. "Auntie Elizabeth!"

She smiled as Clara rushed forward to hug her. "Hello, my dear girl. And hello, Tommy. I had a feeling those new toys weren't going to last long after Christmas, considering how fast you broke that Nutcracker." Her voice was warm, but Tommy ducked his head as she teased him. Holding out a cupped hand, she asked in a solemn tone, "Tommy, do you promise you won't break these?"

Tommy nodded, his face unusually serious.

Aunt Elizabeth smiled. "Here you are, then." She dropped two toy soldiers into his eager hands, chuckling as he raced off to play with them. Turning to Clara, she took her favorite niece by the shoulder. "Now, come, my dear. We need to talk."

"While you may be happy, I have no doubt you wonder why I returned before Christmas," Aunt Elizabeth said as they stepped into the parlor. She slid the doors closed behind them. "I was asked to come on a mission so important that I decided my travels could wait."

"What is it?" Clara asked, eyes wide.

Aunt Elizabeth turned to Clara with a demure smile. "Why, a rather dashing young man asked me if I would kindly inform you that your presence is requested at a ball."

Clara's eyes lit up at once. "Eric!" Suddenly, her expression clouded, and she looked downcast. "But... how will I get there? And home again?"

"You still wear your locket every day, right?" Aunt Elizabeth asked.

"Of course!" Clara said, her hand unconsciously raising to touch the locket. "I only take it off at night."

"Open it, and you will return to Parthenia," Aunt Elizabeth said with a smile. "Once the ball is over, you just have to open it again to come back home."

Clara stared at her aunt in surprise. "R-Really?" Having discovered that the king Aunt Elizabeth had danced with was Eric's father, Clara never doubted anything Aunt Elizabeth told her about Parthenia. When her aunt nodded, she grinned.

Suddenly, a thought struck her. "But... what about Grandfather?"

"I've already spoken to him," Aunt Elizabeth responded. "He believes we're spending the day out on the town having some girl time. I'm to bring you back by nine o'clock."

Clara threw her arms around the woman. "Thank you, Aunt Elizabeth!"

Aunt Elizabeth hugged her back. "You're welcome, my dear." Taking her by the hand, she led Clara out the door as Grandfather watched, chatting about what they were going to do that day. They got outside and into the carriage, and as soon as they were out of site, Aunt Elizabeth said to her, "Go on, my dear. I'll fetch you when nine comes."

With one last grateful smile, Clara turned her attention to the locket. She carefully pulled it open, and at once several yellow lights shot out of it. She faded rapidly from the carriage, and with a smile, Aunt Elizabeth kept driving.

Opening her eyes, Clara looked around, confused for a moment. After a few seconds, she realized that she was in the castle courtyard. She glanced down at herself to see that, once again, she was arrayed in the dress of the Sugar Plum Princess.

"Is that – It IS! Clara!" Hearing her name, Clara turned. There stood the peppermint girl and gingerbread boy she had met before.

"Ethan and Mara, right?" she asked with a smile.

"Yup!" Mara beamed. "Oh, King Eric is going to be so excited that you're here! Come on!" She scurried off, leaving Ethan and Clara no choice but to follow.

"King Eric!" Mara raced through the throne room doors. However, she was quickly stopped by Major Mint.

"Young lady," he said sternly, "the king is busy. Surely you've heard of getting an audience?"

"Let her in," a familiar voice called. A bolt of warmth shot through Clara on hearing it. The two kids rushed ahead, but she hung back, suddenly nervous.

"Hey there," Eric said to the kids as Mara hopped on her lap and bounced with excitement.

"Eric! We brought you a surprise!" she shouted, excited.

"Great googly!" came a cry of surprise from the door. Eric looked up and stared for a long moment at Clara. Mara slid off his lap.

"Clara!" He jumped up and ran towards her. She ran towards him, and when they met in the middle, he caught her around the waist and lifted her, spinning her in the air. Then he drew her close, and their lips met.

They had a wonderful time at the ball, and Clara made it home on time, though she wanted to stay forever.


	3. Chapter 3

"Clara, you have a letter!" Tommy raced breathlessly into her room. As a favor for her, he had been checking the mail to make sure Grandfather didn't find the letter – he still disapproved. (See? Even little brothers can be nice sometimes!)

"Thank you, Tommy," Clara beamed at him.

"Does this mean you won't tell Grandfather I broke the teacup?" Tommy asked eagerly.

Clara winked at him. "Promise." (Okay... so they need a little prodding...)

Shooing him out of her room, she sat down to read.

My dearest Clara,

I hope that this letter finds you well. Things in Parthenia are well on the mend. The

Gingerbread Village's construction has been finished, and Major Mint and the newly

promoted Major Candy have been in charge of rebuilding our army to ensure that

what happened with the Mouse King will never happen again.

All goes well, but I can't even begin to describe how much better it was that night at

the ball with you at my side.

With Love,

Eric

Clara's response was far too sappy to be shown, but she did tell Eric to congratulate Major Candy for her.


	4. Chapter 4

Clara was in her room, daydreaming out the window, when suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Come in," she called, turning to face the source of the sound.

Tommy entered. "You got a letter – I got it for you before Grandfather found out," he said eagerly, holding out an envelope. Clara smiled. She had found him with a grass stain on his Sunday shirt. In exchange for her silence, he was helping sneak her letters to her so she didn't have to deal with her grandfather's disapproval.

"Thank you, Tommy." She took the envelope, and he ran back out. She unfolded it and read.

My dearest Clara,

Things have not been going so well here since my last letter. Major Candy had located a pocket of bandits hiding in the forest where he once saved us. However, when he went to investigate two days ago, he went off the map. We haven't seen any sign of him since. Our efforts to find him have thus far been fruitless.

I have begun to fear that I may never have been cut out for rule, after all. At least, not alone.

-Eric

Clara immediately knew just what to do. Going to her closet, she took out her least favorite dress – the same color as a potato sack – and headed into the foyer. "Grandfather!" she exclaimed, as though she had been looking for him. "This dress has become too short. May I go buy a new one?"

"Oh, um, of course," said her grandfather, caught off guard. He counted out a few coins for her. "Here – give the old dress to someone in need and buy yourself a nice new one."

"Thank you, Grandfather!" She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and headed out the door. She walked briskly down the street and got down the corner. At once, she gave the dress to a young child wearing only rags, ducked behind an abandoned building, and snapped open her locket. Within seconds, she had returned to the castle and was setting out to find Eric.

They found Major Candy tied up in a cage in the bandit's hideout. Eric's men quickly took the bandits themselves out, and Major Candy was (gratefully) returned home. Clara got back in time to buy a new dress.


	5. Chapter 5

Soon after, another letter arrived.

"My dearest Clara,

Ever since the return of Major Candy, things have been perfect in Parthenia – and I have you to thank for it. With his help returned, we were able to complete the village. I am excited to see how things will go from here.

I miss you more with every passing day. I eagerly await your reply and hope to see you soon.

-Eric"

Clara sighed. She was unsure of how to respond to the letter. While it was great that things were going so wonderfully for him, they were not the same on her end. The family had fallen on hard times, and she had been forced to get a job at a textile factory nearby. Long, hard hours gained her little pay, but it was all she could do to put food on the table.

"My dear Eric,

I am happy to hear that you are well. I only wish I could say the same about myself." Clara poured out the horrors of the last few days – the hard work, how often they'd find something wrong with her work and refuse her pay, how much she struggled every day. Then she debated for a long moment before deciding. She sealed and sent it.

A few days later, she got a response – a package. Inside were three beautiful jewel-encrusted necklaces, lavishly decorated with rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Enclosed was a note:

"Tip of the Crown: Always have spare copies of the royal jewelry... just in case."


End file.
